Pumpkin Wild Rice Salad with Miso Dressing

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miso dressingHow much do you pay attention when you are eating? Thing is we have so much food around us these days. We eat while working, watching TV, driving, talking on the phone, walking on the street. We are so good at multitasking. Your brain is not engaged in eating. You don’t even know what is going into your mouth. Your arm just moves automatically from food to your mouth like a reflex. No signs of fullness. You need to eat more to feel satisfied. I’ve done that and been there and still do sometimes, unfortunately. I used to shovel down protein bars (evil to your body!) at work because I was “busy”. It was a pathetic excuse there is not even 10 minutes for myself, enjoying my food at work? I’m shaking my head right now. I love eating and I think it should be a healthy and pleasurable experience. Your food needs a full attention. I know it is extremely difficult to change your habit, but I’m sure you all agree with me here we need to eat “mindfully” for the sake of your own health.

miso dressing1Here are some mindful eating tips that I try to stick to. If you have any more helpful tips, feel free to add here 🙂

1. Listen to your stomach. You need to feel hungry before you are eating, but not starving otherwise you tend to overeat. Have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty, not hungry.
2. Choice of your food. Is this going to be good for my body and soul? If a piece of chocolate makes you happy, then go ahead. Enjoy it without feeling guilty.
3. No distractions. We have a house rule. No TV while eating. It should be a couple/family time without distractions.
4. Look, smell and taste your food.
5. Chew your food and put down your fork between bites.
6. Stop when you feel about 80% full. You are not wasting food on your plate though. Keep the leftovers for later or next day. If you are not good at this (me>.<), put less food on your plate or use a smaller plate to control your portion size.
7. This is a bit Korean way, but we say “thanks for the meal” before eating at the table. It is not like a religious thing. We thank for the soil, sun, rain, farmers, etc that brought that food to the table. Be grateful!

pumpkin wild riceIngredients

100g wild rice
2 cups pumpkin, cubed
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Himalayan salt
a bunch of coriander
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

For miso dressing
1 tsp miso paste (or less if you don’t like strong miso flavour)
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sesame oil
pepper to taste

Put chopped pumpkin in a large bowl. Add melted coconut oil, cumin and salt into a bowl and toss to combine. Bake them in the preheated oven (180) for 20-30 minutes until cooked. Rinse wild rice and cover with a plenty of water in a saucepan. Bring it up to a boil and simmer on low heat for 40 or until cooked. Drain and let it cool. To assemble, combine cooked wild rice, pumpkin, chopped coriander and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Pour the miso dressing and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate.

Posted in: Drinks, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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When it comes to comforting winter snack or meal, I think of my childhood. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite veggies. They are golden and sweet when baked. In cold winter days, my mum used to make baked sweet potatoes in the oven. They are wrapped in news papers so that they don’t dry out too much while cooking. After a long long wait about an hour, you open a parcel like opening a present. You have to be careful because of hot, very hot steam comes right out on your face. I just cannot wait to dig in so I don’t even feel my fingers burning, but I know it is best biting into it when it’s hot. Chewy outside but incredibly moist and sweet inside. Very comforting and warming winter snack! Oh, I miss winter in Korea. As simple as can be, these baked sweet potatoes are stuffed with feta, sun-dried tomatoes – the tastes of the Mediterranean. Don’t peel the skin for extra nutrition that sweet potatoes can offer. Sweet potatoes have more vitamin A, vitamin C and more fiber than normal potatoes. The color-related pigments in sweet potatoes (orange, purple) are valuable for their anti-inflammatory health benefits. They are also excellent for your digestion.
Stuffed Sweet PotatoIngredients

2 sweet potatoes
50g feta cheese
1/2 onion
chopped black pitted olives
2 large sun-dried tomatoes
chopped parsley
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of Himalayan salt

Pierce each sweet potato several times and place them directly on middle oven rack. Bake until the sweet potatoes are easily pierced with a knife and cooked through, about 45-60 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the topping. Cook sliced onion with coconut oil in a pan until caramelised. Mix together remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until the sweet potatoes are done. Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center to expose cooked insides, top with feta mixture and serve.

Posted in: Baking, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Rice Noodle Salad

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Rice noodle salad is something I make on emergency or out of the blue. I pretty much have all ingredients ready in my fridge and pantry. Although it is a relatively easy dish to make, the freshness from veggies and herbs plus a beautiful Asian dressing makes it so special and flavoursome.

Coriander is one of my favorite herbs in Asian dish. Did you know it actually belongs to a carrot family? It is rich in essential vitamins and minerals – Vitamin A, B, C, K, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Your skin loves coriander because it reduces acne and provides protection from eczema, dryness and fungal infections. The rich aroma helps in the proper secretion of enzymes and digestive juices in the stomach, helping your digestion. Good news for women? it helps regulate proper menstrual cycles and reduces the associated pain during period. It also helps to regulate your blood sugar level, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Such a shame I tried to grow them in my garden a few times, but all failed! In fact, I didn’t have much luck with basil and parsley either. I don’t think they like me 🙁 Does anyone have some good tips with gardening?

Rice Noodle SaladIngredients

1 cup of rice noodles
1 stalk of celery
1/2 cup of bean sprouts
1/2 cup of shredded cabbage
1/2 of grapefruit sliced
a bunch of coriander

For dressing
1 tsp of tamari
1 tsp of rice vinegar
1 tsp of chilli flakes
1 tsp of sesame oil
1 tsp of sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the rice noodles in a boiling water for a few minutes until tender, drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. Finely shred cabbage, slice celery, desegment grapefruit and roughly chop coriander. Mix cooked noodles and prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the half of the dressing into a bowl and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the salad.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian

Braised Mushrooms with Cauliflower Rice

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braised mushroomsI love the earthy flavour and meatiness of the mushrooms. Does anyone not like mushrooms on toast? It is such a simple dish, but the depth of the flavour is just beyond imagination. Mushrooms are also a nutrition power house. They are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, low-sodium – safe for everyone! They are rich in B vitamins, important for energy and the nervous system. Minerals rich in mushrooms are selenium, copper, potassium, iron, niacin, riboflavin and more. So it is great for weight management, anti-aging, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, and strong immune system.

For this recipe, I left mushrooms whole when cooked which gives a nice meaty texture outside but still moist and juicy inside. I served on cauliflower “rice” which is crunchy, refreshing and cuts down the spiciness. Enjoy x

Ingredients (single serve)

300g button mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of grated cauliflower
1 tbsp of coconut amino sauce (or tamari)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
pepper to taste
coriander leaves for garnish

Put all ingredients except cauliflower in a pan, bring it up to a boil, simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat until cooked. In the meantime, grate cauliflower to make a cauliflower rice. To serve, put braised mushrooms on the prepared cauliflower rice in a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, Vegetarian

Roasted Veggies With Quinoa

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Roasted veggiesQuinoa is one of my pantry staples. Its delicate nutty flavour is so addictive! I serve with salads, curry, grilled vegetables, or braised meat. It is a perfect protein, containing all eight of the essential amino acids. It’s higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbs than most grains and  has the highest protein content of any grain, 12 – 18%. Quinoa is also high in iron, magnesium, and fiber. Plus, as a vehicle for flavor and ingredients, like rice, quinoa is primo. For the perfect cooked quinoa, you need to wash really well in a sieve to get rid of the natural bitterness of the quinoa. Cook quinoa, 2:1 liquid to grain (water, vegetable or chicken broth), for about 20 minutes. You can jazz up with some aromatic spices during cooking as well like garlic, rosemary, lemon, etc.

There is no rule here to make this salad. Ingredients seem quite a lot, but use whatever you have in your fridge or in your garden. Always use seasonal vegetables which are great for nutrition and your wallet, too. Perfect salad for a family, dinner party, weekday lunch box or potluck party.

Ingredients (serving 4)

1 cup of cooked white quinoa
2 tomatoes
2 carrots
1/3 zucchini
1/2 baby fennel
1 baby beetroot
1/2 leek
1/2 cup pumpkin
a bunch of coriander
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of honey or maple syrup
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of smoked paprika
1 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Wash and chop all the vegetables and place on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle coconut oil and sprinkle spices. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, flipping half-way through. In the meantime, rinse quinoa thoroughly and simmer in a saucepan for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Turn off the heat and let it sit with a lid on for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine roasted vegetables, cooked quinoa and roughly chopped coriander. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle more olive oil and sprinkle some nuts or feta cheese on top if you like.
Roasted veggies1

Posted in: Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, My recipes, salads, Vegetarian